Systems and methods for vehicle-to-vehicle communication

Abstract

Systems and method for vehicle-to-vehicle communication are provided. In one example, a vehicle system may include one or more sub-systems, an in-vehicle computing system, and an inter-vehicle communication system. The in-vehicle computing system may be configured to generate and/or update trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the one or more sub-systems. The trust scores may be transmitted to one or more other vehicles near the vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication system. The in-vehicle computing system may also receive trust scores from the one or more other vehicles. Based on the received trust scores, the in-vehicle computing system may adjust longitudinal and/or lateral control of the vehicle via one or more actuators.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more components, where the one or more sub-systems is at least one of a braking system and a drivetrain system; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and one or more other vehicles; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing functional safety classification data and instructions executable by the processor to:
 determine trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the sub-system; and 
 broadcast the trust scores of the one or more sub-systems to the one or more other vehicles via the inter-vehicle communication system. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle system as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more components include at least one of one or more sensors and one or more actuators within the vehicle; and wherein the instructions are further executable to broadcast sub-system operation data for each of the one or more sub-systems along with the trust score for each sub-system, the sub-system operation data including a sub-system operating status indicating an activity of the sub-system, and a sub-system operating parameter. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle system as in  claim 2 , wherein the instructions are further executable to receive trust score data from the one or more other vehicles, the trust score data including trust scores for each of one or more other sub-systems within the one or more other vehicles; and adjust the one or more actuators of the vehicle based on the received trust score data, the one or more actuators including at least one of one or more braking actuators and one or more drivetrain actuators of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle system as in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to, responsive to a determination of degradation of at least one sub-system of the one or more sub-systems, broadcast sub-system diagnostic data of the at least one sub-system along with a diagnostic data trust score for the at least one sub-system. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle system as in  claim 1 , wherein determining the trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on the functional safety classification includes determining, for each of the one or more sub-systems, a component trust score for each component of the sub-system, the component trust score based on a functional safety classification of each component. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle system as in  claim 5 , wherein the one or more components further include one or more processors; and wherein the trust score for each of the one or more sub-systems is further based on a processor trust score of each of the one or more processors, the processor trust score of each processor based on a functional safety classification of each processor. 
     
     
       7. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more components; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and one or more other vehicles; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing functional safety classification data and instructions executable by the processor to:
 determine trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the sub-system; and 
 broadcast the trust scores of the one or more sub-systems to the one or more other vehicles via the inter-vehicle communication system, 
 
 wherein determining the trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on the functional safety classification includes determining, for each of the one or more sub-systems, a component trust score for each component of the sub-system, the component trust score based on a functional safety classification of each component, and 
 wherein the trust score of a sub-system is higher than the component trust score of each of its components if two or more components are operating in parallel such that a failure of one component can be mitigated by operation of another component. 
 
     
     
       8. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more components; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and one or more other vehicles; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing functional safety classification data and instructions executable by the processor to:
 determine trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the sub-system; and 
 broadcast the trust scores of the one or more sub-systems to the one or more other vehicles via the inter-vehicle communication system, 
 
 wherein determining the trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on the functional safety classification includes determining, for each of the one or more sub-systems, a component trust score for each component of the sub-system, the component trust score based on a functional safety classification of each component, and 
 wherein the trust score of a sub-system is lower than the component trust score of each of its components if two or more components are operating in series such that a failure of either component leads to a failure of the sub-system. 
 
     
     
       9. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more components; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and one or more other vehicles; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing functional safety classification data and instructions executable by the processor to:
 determine trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the sub-system; and 
 broadcast the trust scores of the one or more sub-systems to the one or more other vehicles via the inter-vehicle communication system, 
 
 wherein determining the trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on the functional safety classification includes determining, for each of the one or more sub-systems, a component trust score for each component of the sub-system, the component trust score based on a functional safety classification of each component, and 
 wherein the instructions are further executable to, when a functional safety classification of at least one component of a subsystem is not known, determine the trust score of the sub-system based on whether the at least one component is proven in use based on a number of hours of accumulated component operation of similar components in a plurality of vehicles. 
 
     
     
       10. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more components; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and one or more other vehicles; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing functional safety classification data and instructions executable by the processor to:
 determine trust scores for the one or more sub-systems based on a functional safety classification of the sub-system; and 
 broadcast the trust scores of the one or more sub-systems to the one or more other vehicles via the inter-vehicle communication system, 
 
 wherein the instructions are further executable to update the trust scores for each sub-system based on a number of hours of operation of each sub-system in the vehicle and a total number of hours of operation of similar sub-systems in a plurality of vehicles. 
 
     
     
       11. A vehicle system comprising:
 one or more sub-systems including one or more sensors and one or more actuators; 
 an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between a vehicle and a second vehicle; 
 an in-vehicle computing system including a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing a first trust score data including a first trust score for the one or more sub-systems and instructions executable by the processor to:
 receive a second trust score data from the second vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication system, the second trust score data including a second trust score for one or more second sub-systems of the second vehicle; and 
 adjust one or more actuators of the vehicle system based on the received second trust score data; 
 wherein the first trust score and the second trust score are based on functional safety classifications of the one or more sub-systems and the one or more second sub-systems, respectively; 
 
 wherein the inter-vehicle communication system is further configured to receive and transmit information between the vehicle and a third vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle in an adjacent lane; and 
 wherein the instructions are further executable to:
 receive a third trust score data from the third vehicle, the third trust score data including a third trust score for each of one or more sub-systems of the third vehicle; 
 compare the second trust scores of a first subset of the sub-systems of the second vehicle with the third trust scores of a second subset of the sub-systems of the third vehicle, the second subset corresponding to the first subset; and 
 adjust one or more actuators of the vehicle based on the comparison. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The vehicle system as in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further executable to transmit the first trust score data via the inter-vehicle communication system; transmit a first sub-system operation data including a first sub-system operating status, a first sub-system operating parameter, and a first sub-system diagnostic status of each of the one or more sub-systems to the second vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication system; and receive a second sub-system operation data, the second sub-system operation data including a second sub-system operating status, a second sub-system operating parameter, and a second sub-system diagnostic status of each of the one or more second sub-systems from the second vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication system. 
     
     
       13. The vehicle system as in  claim 11 , wherein the second vehicle is a trailing vehicle operating behind the vehicle in a same lane. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle system as in  claim 13 , wherein adjusting the one or more actuators of the vehicle based on the received second trust score data includes, in response to at least one of the second trust scores below a threshold, adjusting one or more drivetrain actuators to increase a distance between the vehicle and the second vehicle. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle system as in  claim 11 , wherein the second vehicle is a leading vehicle travelling in front of the vehicle in a same lane; and wherein adjusting the one or more actuators of the vehicle based on the received second trust score data includes, in response to at least one of the second trust scores below a threshold, adjusting one or more braking actuators to increase a distance between the vehicle and the second vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first subset includes one or more safety-critical systems of the second vehicle, and the second subset includes corresponding safety-critical systems of the third vehicle. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle system as in  claim 11 , wherein the vehicle is developed by a first manufacturer, the second vehicle is developed by a second manufacturer, and the third vehicle is developed by a third manufacturer, the first manufacturer different from the second manufacturer and the third manufacturer different from the first and the second manufacturers. 
     
     
       18. A method for an advanced driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:
 receiving trust score data from a leading vehicle operating in a same lane as the vehicle, the trust score data including a first trust score for a first sub-system of the leading vehicle; 
 during a first condition when the first trust score is greater than a threshold, adjusting one or more actuators of the vehicle to maintain a first threshold separation between the vehicle and the leading vehicle; and 
 during a second condition when the first trust score is less than the threshold, adjusting the one or more actuators of the vehicle to maintain a second threshold separation between the vehicle and the leading vehicle; 
 wherein the first trust score is based on a functional safety classification of the first sub-system; and 
 wherein the first threshold separation is shorter than the second threshold separation.